Load-gear equipment for vehicle brakes



Feb. 5, 1946.

v 5. H. BROWALL 2,394,038

LOAD-GEAR EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLE BRAKES Filed June 12, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

Shy/win Feb. 5, 1946. B. H. BROWALL LOAD-GEAREQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLE BRAKES I Filed June 12, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 5, 1946. B. H. BROWALL LOAD-GEAR EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLE BRAKES Filed June 12, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 L AD-G B EQU 'BBAKES.,

Ber t-HenryBrowall, Malmo, Sweden, "assignor to Svenska: Aktieb'ola'get 'Bromsre'gulatorz, Mann-o, Sweden, aeorporation of sweden Application June "12, 1944, Star 1' ms edtn g- This invention refers tojsu'ch bralges f orvehi-h cles, especially railway vehicles; as are provi'dedf in their rigging, which connects the braking-meme bers (brake shoes) to the sourceof brake power] (brake cylinder), with a so-called load gear for varying the brake applying leverage. of thefbrake rigging for the purpose of suiting the brake'pre ssure on full application of 'th'e'brakesto the vary-5 ing load of the vehicle. More particularly the invention refers to vehicle brakesin which the brak'e rigging is of the conventionality'pe compris-' ing a couple of equalizing brake levers (Wihi'hj according to the nomenclature usd'in conn'eci tion with an empty and load brake -equipme t for freight cars in the Well-known Ca-rBuilders" Cyclopedia of American Practice, fourteenthjedi tion, 193?, are called the cylinderl'ev'er and the floating lever) for distributing the brake power to the opposite ends of the vehicle; To/enable the load gear to be constructed in such a man ner that it maybe fitted as astandard-construetional unit or unitary equipment to practically any constructional form whatsoever of the -said conventional type of brake rigging, constructions; have been suggested in which the load 'gear corn? pr ise's an additional brake-lever connecting the cylinder lever to the push rod of theb cylinder and thereby revers'i rfg"the eo'nv tional position of the latter. in relation to. the; cylinder lever, and a shiftable fulcrum lor this additional or so-called reversi'ngleven- :It has been suggested to attach such aiload geares' a constructional unit to the underneath sid'e of the under-frame of the vehicle by means of a common supporting member f'o'r the reversing lever and the 'shiftable fulcrum therefor. It. has also been suggested'that the said supporting'memberi be given the form of a casing orfso-calledrl'oadr gear box, enclosing the load gear (seem; S. P'a t.-

ent No. 2,204,925). A prerequisite to this howw ever, is that the load-gear boxland thenecese sary stationary fulcrum for the floating lever be mounted separately on suitable beamsor'gthe un der-frameof the vehicle. This-manner of atj tachment has, however, many inherentfdisad;

vantages; primarily it generally requiresjthe pro} vision of a number of: beams; the mounting of which on the under-frames of 'certainftypfiislbf 1 vehicles may offer great difficulties, andjsecond 50 be subjected to unbound force's subjejctin'g the under-frame of thejvehicle to undesirea stra'ms It is a primary ob'j ect c if "the present invent-ran v to overcome these 'difii'dul'tie'sJ, end 'f' ther Objects that Will become apparent irbih fl-fe 1y; on application of the brakes such beam will 1 brake ver '45 i ag rammaticalside vievv; partly in afrailway vehicle with a load-gear iqil ti 'qm f ther n, "F gll a rammatic plan view of the under-nam or the vehicle with the load-gear u me 'i m dth on: f

' igs. 3 a -4; are vertical and horizontal lone gitudinal sec ens, respectively', -of the load gear and the jb'eamj carrying; the load gear, the brake; cyli I rand the stationary fulcrum for the float-' ing verofth' brakerig ing.

Fig. 5 is 'a 'vertial detail section taken app ximatay on the line 'v v r Fig. 4.

a" vertical'd'et i l section taken approxi 1 1 showing the mountin'g o'f th brakecylinder on "one side- 0f the supporting beam. 7'

"Fig.7 *s a vertical cross sect-ion through the sup "'ti rig' beam-approximately on the line VII- o-f-Fi g, 4, snpw'ng' the mounting oft-he an qnary fulcrum'for' he floating lever en the other sYde oftHesuppoj gbearn Figs. sane 9 are tress sectionsof the supporting "beam, taken onf t'he lines VII -l I-VI I I and ICE- xt re'spe cti-v ely of Fig. *4. i

'Figs. 10' 'an'dfll area longitudinal vertical section through apor-tion 'dftm upper partof the d m hereinafter. i

The loadKgearKsee especially Fig, 4) comprises ful l an an operatively associfor ftransniittingf brake I power source, represented by 'a brake cylinder an S I, 5 f or d'is't bu'ting the brake power A t Thel'ever 4 'has an r push rod of the bra-lie cylinder by'the intermediary of the reversing lee verm n is called the c'ylinder lever, and the ley' t eo esponamg fend a ttached to a s'ta lcrum point f 6','and at'a point be tween its ends-w a' c'orresponding poin er cylinder lever by a re 3 andfis icalledfth'e 'flo ting lever". "'Fo t eethereHds'offt edev'ers' l a-r 8 5 are connectedjpullrodsfi and-'8 terminateh ng; membersareviaea in' the usual manner-at either {couple of equalizing end 01 the vehicle for coaction with the vehicle.

V I by means of alink rod I0.

As a supportfor the load gear comprising th'e shiftable fulcrum I and the reversing lever 2 coasting therewith, a beam is provided that is extended from the load gear towards both ends j opening provided for the link rod I0, so that the of the vehicle. In the embodiment illustrated by x If,

way of example in the drawings the said beam comprises two longitudinalparts, an upper part II and a lower part I2, which'are preferably of scribed or shown in detail. The space I 5 between the beam parts II, I2 is closed, and the ends of the reversing lever 2 encased on either side of the supporting beam by means of cases 24, which are, so dimensioned as to admit of free movement of thereversing lever 2.' The case 24 located on the same side of the beam as the brake cylinder 3, is connected to the latter, and the case 25 on the other side of the supporting beam is provided with a packing 26 (Fig. 4) shown only diagrammatically in the drawings, at the load gear is tightly encased, and consequently ;well protected against the intrusion of water, dirt sheet metal and of U-like cross section and arranged with their flanges extending inwards, as may be seen from Figs. 6-9. longitudinal upper and lower beam parts II and I2 respectively are welded or otherwise fastened a pair of transverse partitions I3 and I4, which together with the longitudinal upper and lower beam parts II and I2 define a' transverse space I5 extending from'one side of the. supporting, beam to the other. The shiftable fulcrumI and the reversing lever 2 are disposed insaid space I5. Onthat extension of the supporting beam II, I2 extending from thespace I5 towards the .one end of the vehicle, the supporting beam I I,

I2 carries the brake cylinder 3, and onthe other Between. the i extension, extending from the space I5 towards the other end of the vehicle, the beam II, I2, carries the stationary fulcrum to which the floatinglever 5 is attached by its pivot pin IS." The brake cylinder 3 is mounted onthe beam II, I2 by means of a pair of (brackets I1, I8 provided. on the upper and the'lower side of the beam, .as shown in Figsrz and 6. The stationary fulcrum I9' for the floating lever 5 forms part of .a horizontal plate 20 projecting from the appropriate side .of the beam ,I I, I2 and secured thereto in the horizontal median plane thereof (Figs. 3, 4 and 7)..

The plate 20 is mounted between a couple of transverse partitions 2|, fitted between the upper and lower parts II and I 2, respectively, pf the supporting beam and converging in the-direction towards the pin of the pivot I6, said converging partitions limiting the play or swing of the floating lever. 5 about the stationary pivot pin I 5. As aforesaid; the plate 20 forming the fulcrum e. g.:

for the floating lever 5 extends in the horizontal V median plane of the supporting beam II,1I2, All

' the levers 2, 4 and .5 are disposed between the.

upper and lower parts II, I2 of. the'supporting beam II, I2 and substantially in the said horizontal median plane thereof, and thus the transmission of the brake power from the brake cyl-.

inder through all the levers 2, 4 and 5 takes place I in this plane with respect to which the supporting beam is substantially symmetrical. To support the cylinder lever 4 there is provided on the lower part I2 of the supporting beam :adjacent the-side thereof carrying the brake cylinder 3 a suitable guide 22 (Figs. 4 and 9), on which the lever 4 slides when actuated. -The partitionld is provided on that side facing the brakecylinder with an elongatedguide: 23 (Fig. 4) for the shift. able fulcrum I, which guide extends beyond the side of the beam on whichthebrake cylinder is mounted; The construction of both the shiftable fulcrum I and its guide 23 may vary considerably, as may also the constructionof the reversing lever 2 and its operatively associated elements andmayfurthermore 'be such as are known per se, for

which reason these'elements need not be die-1 i-orany-other undesired foreign matter.

The'shifting or the position of the shiftable nilcrum I. along its guide 23 may be effected by already known means either manually or automatically; according to the load of the vehicle. To achieve an automatic shifting of the position of the shiftable fulcrum for the reversing lever it has already been proposed toconnect this fulcrum to a spring device, the deflection of which is at alltimes proportional to the load of the vehicle at any given moment. According to the invention the supporting beam I I, I 2, carrying the load gear, the brake cylinder and the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever, may advantageously the spring device is suitably mounted in that extension of the supporting beam I-I, I2 carrying the brake cylinder 3, especially in case the spring deviceconsists of a semielliptical spring as shown at Z'I th atis stretched by a pull, the order of which is proportionate to the vehicle load, and to which spring theshiftable fulcrum I is connected in suc h a way, that the position of the shiftable fulcrum is shifted by the deflection of the spring transversely to the direction of stretching of the latter. In accordance with the embodiment illus trated in the drawings the extension of the beam carrying the brake cylinder 3 is made suificiently long, i. e.,extended an adequate length beyond the cylinder 3, so that the whole of the semielliptical spring 21 extending substantially longitudinally of the vehicle may be'received between the upper and lower parts of the supporting beam I.I, I2. This spring 21 is guided at both its ends bybifurcated guide members 28, 29, of which one is fastened to the transverse partition I3, and the other to a transverse plate 30 attached between the two beam-parts II and I2 at the free end of thebeam extension. To the ends of the leafaspring 21, guided by the guide members 28 and-.29,-are linked pull rods 3|, 32 which are longitudinally guided in the supporting beam and project from the respective ends of the latter;

These pull rods 3|, 32 are connected by means of a links 33,' 34' to lever systems 35, 36 (Fig. 1) which transmit to the rods 33 and 34'forces or pulls derived from the supporting spring pressures at the-respective ends of thevehicle. These forces vary according to the portions of the vehicle load supported by the supporting springs at the re spective ends of the vehicle. The leaf spring 21 is longitudinally stretched by'said pulls, andthe arrangement is so devised, in a manner known per 7 se, that the amount of stretching and deflection of the spring 21 is determined by the supporting spring pressure at that end of the vehicle carryingthe smaller portion of the vehicleload. The .outward movement of the ends of the spring 21 T is flimi'ted bythe :guide: members, 23.. Iffthe, pull exercised by the rod 31 :exceedsthat efiirod 3-2, that end of the leaf" spring Zlfgui'd'edj b th bifurcated guide 28 will engage the bottom of the latter, so that the smallerpull-bf therod 32min determine the deflection of the spring: :21. If, however, the pull of the rod 32- exceedsthato'f' thelrod 3|, that end of the SphiIlglT -guided by the bifurcated guide 29 will engage the bottom ofthe latter, so that the smaI-lerpullof the rod 3| will determine the deflection of thespring 27!. Hereby, as already known per se, the positioned the shiftable fulcrum I for the reversing lever 2, and thus the brakgapplying leverage of the brake system, will always be determined by the supporting spring pressurea't the "least leaded of the vehicle. The force actuating the shi-ftable fulcrum is derived from the deflection of the spring 21 transversely to its direction of stre'tohing. The device necessary forthis actuation of the shif-table fulcrum I may vary considerably;

and according to the illustrated embodimentit comprises a double armed lever 31 located within the supporting beam 1 I, "l 2, which lever 31 1s pivoted' at 38 and is provided at one of its ends with a member 39 embracing the spring intermediate.

theends of the latter; The other end of the lever 31 is connected with the shiftable fulcrum pl by means of a link 40. The 'lever'3'1 extends through an opening, arranged therefor in the transverse wherein the pivot pin 38 is 'located-ina bifurcated mounting43, which by means of slots 44 and bolts 45 is fastened to the underneath side of theupper part of the beam, so that it may be adjusted transversely thereon.

It will be-apparent from the above description thatthe supportingbeam -H, I 2, together with. all

those elements carried by the same may be mounted asa standardizedconstructional unit or unitary equipment immediately'undern'eath the ordinary transverse Sills-46 of the under-frame of the vehicle, practically speaking; independent of any variation inthe relative disposition of said sills. This fact, as well as the possibility of carrying out in the machine workshop the actual making, adjustment, trial tests and strength tests of all the parts before they are assembled and mounted as a constructional unit or unitary equipment on the sills of the under-frame of the vehicle represents a great advantage contribof such equipments and the 'manufacturethereof.

mounting of the equipment, consisting in fasten.-

ing the supporting beam H, l2 to the'transverse sills 46 of the under-frame of the car att'aching the lever systems 35,36, and couplingthe pull. rods 3 I, 32 to the latter by means of the. coupling rods- 33., 34, mounting the brake elements, at l the respective ends of th'evehicle, and. couplingzsai'd elements to the equalizing leversl i by means of the main pull. rods- I, :8; The fstre'ss'es'arising between the-elements disposed between the sup- The car workshops are relieved from. above mentioned work, so unsuitable-forsuohplaces,w and need only perform the comparatively simple uting to the standardization and rationalization porting beam parts lJl .12 and partakingyin the. transmission of the .brakingforce, areireoeivedu completely by thexsupporting-beam. Ilglvlgand. are; not transmitted to. anypart of; the under+ framexof the car-and thereforedo not necessitate any specialbracing of theunder-frame and need: not be-considered whenconstructing. or designing thelatter. The braking stresses to which the. supporting beam H [2 may be subjectedactsubstantially in the horizontal median plane 'of-the latter, so.that the strainsjon the beam H1, 1-2.; arising from. these, stresses are'distributed in a most favourable way, which admits of a comparae tively delicate and light construction of the supporting beam ll, I2..

In case the floatinglever isefulcrumednotsat. the end correspondingto that of the cylinderlever receivingthe braking force from-the brake cylinzder, but at its relatively opposite end, the rul crum forthe floating levermay' suitably project from the same side of the beam vl l, IZJas that on: which the brake cylinder is mounted.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letter Patent is:

1. In a vehicle brakeof the characterdescribed having a brake cylinder, coupled cylinder and floating brake levers for distributing the braking force of the brake cylinder to theopposite ends of the vehicle, a stationary'fulcr'um: for the floating lever, and a load gear for varying th brake applying leverage of the brake, comprising-a reversing lever for transmitting the braking force ,of the brake cylinder to the cylinder lever, and a shiftable fulcrum for the reversing lever, a beam carrying the load gearand being extended therefrom towards both ends of the vehicle and carry-- ing on one-of its extensions thebrakecylinder and on the other extension the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever, the beam, the brake-cylinder, the load gear and the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever forming together a unitary equipmentmounted in place-on the vehicle by the beam being attached longitudinallynf the vehicle on the underneath side of the under-frame thereof.

2. Ina vehicle brake'of the charaeterdescribed and having a brake cylinderiand coupled cylinder and floating brake leversfor distributing the' brakingforce to the opposite ends of the vehicle; a load gear for varying the brake applying leverage ofthe brake, comprising a reversing lever for transmitting the braking force of the brake cyl- Finder to 'the cylinder lever, and a shiftab'le-fulcrum for the reversing lever; a stationaryzful crum for the floating lever, anda straightbeam carrying the load gear and being extended in. opposite directions therefrom and carryingon one of its extensions the brake cylinder and on theotherextension the stationary fulcrum for'the floating lever, the beam, the brake cylinder, the

load gear and the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever forming together a'constructional unit adapted tobe mounted in place on the'vehicle b-y' fastening the beam longitudinally of the vehicle onto the underneath-sideof the under-. ,frame thereof;

3. In a vehicle brake asclaimed 'in'claim 2, the additional feature thatthe brake cylinder is mounted on one side of thefbeam' and that the stationary fulcrum for thefloating'lever projects from th'e'other side of said beam.

4. In a vehicle brake-having coupled cylinder. and floating brake levers for distributinga brake ing force-to theopposite ends of the vehicle, a brake cylinder for producing the braking force,

a lo'adfgear for varying the brake applying 1ev'erage'of the brake; icomprising'a reversing lever for transmitting the braking forceof the brakecylinder ,-to'the cylinder lever, and a shiftable fulcrum for the reversing lever, a stationary fulcrum' forthe floating lever, a beam comprising parallel upper and lower longitudinal'partsi with spaces therebetween for the reversing lever and the cylinder andfioating levers, so that all these levers when in'place, extend transversely through the beamsubstantiallyin the horizontal median plane thereoLsaid beam-carrying the load gear and being extended in opposite directions therefrom" and having attached to it on' one of its extensions the brake cylinderiand onthe other extension-the stationary fulcrumffor the floating; lever, said; beam, the load gear, the V brake cylinder and the stationary fulcrum for the floating leverrforming' together a constructional unit 7 adapted to be mounted in place ona the vehicle by fastening the beam longitudinally of the ,vehi-I cle onto the underneath sidefo'f theunder-frame 5. In a vehicle brake as claimed in :claim 4,

' the additional features that the space for the reversing, lever between the, upper and lower longitudinal beam parts isjbordered by transverse partitions extending between the upper and lowerbeam parts, and that a guide for the shift able; fulcrum for the reversinglever ishprovided ongone .of these partitions and extends horizontally and transversely of the beam beyond the side-thereof onwhich the brake cylinderis ,attached.-

6, In a vehicle brake of the character described, having-a brake cylinder, coupledcylinder and floating brake levers for distributing the braking force of the brake cylinder to the opposite ends of the vehicle, a stationary fulcrum for the'floating lever, a load gear for-varying the brake applying leverage of thebrake automatically' according to the load of, the vehicle comprising a reversing lever for transmitting the braking force of the brake cylinder to the ,cylinder lever, a shiftable fulcrum for the reversing;

lever-, a spring device associated with the shiftable fulcrum for determining the position there of, and :means for loading said spring device proportionately to the load of the vehicle, a beam carrying the load gear and being extended therefrom towards both ends; of the vehicle and car,- rying on one of its extensions the brake cylinder and said spring device and, on the other extension the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever,

,saidfbeam, the brake cylinder, the load gear,

said spring device and the stationary fulcrum for the floating lever forming together a unitary,

equipment mounted in place on the vehicle by the beam being attached longitudinally of the vehicle onthe underneath side of the under,-

7 frame thereof.

7. In av vehicle brake havingcoupled cylinder andifloatingrleversfor distributing a brakingforce to the opposite ends .of the vehicle, and means 'for deriving from vehicle supporting spring pressures a force substantially propor:

tionate to the load of the vehicle, a brake cylinder for producing the braking force, a stationary 'fulcr'iim for the floating lever, a load gear for varying thebrake applying leverage of the brake, comprising a reversing lever for transmitting the braking force ofth'e brake cylinder to thecylinder lever, anda shiftable fulcrum for the reversing" lever-, a spring device adapted ,to be connected-to the means deriving the force proportionate to the vehicle load and to be deflected, by this force, means operatively associating the h shiftable fulcrum with the spring device for shifting the position of theshiftable fulcrum accord- 7 ing to the deflection of the spring device, and a straight beam carrying the load gear and being 7 extended in opposite directions therefromand carrying on one of its extensions the brake 'cylinder and on the other extension the stationary.

fulcrum for the floating lever and also carrying the spring device. and the means for deter--,

mining the position of the shiftable fulcrum according to the deflection of the spring device,

said beam and all said parts and means carried other, and that the load gear and the spring device are disposed in spaces borderedby the beam parts, the space for the spring devicebeing located in the beam extension carrying the brake cylinder, further spaces for receivingthe cylinder and floating levers being provided between the upper and lower parts in the other extension of v thebeann r 9. In a vehicle brake having coupled cylin der and floating brake. levers for distributing a braking force to the opposite ends ofthe vehicle,

' a beam adapted to be mounted in place onthe vehicle by fastening the beam longitudinally of the vehicle onto the underneath 'side of the under-frame thereof and comprising substan- 1 tially parallel upper andlower longitudinal parts i and transversepartitions spacing the longitudinal'upper and lower parts from, and attaching them to, each other, a brake cylinder for producing the braking force, attached-to said beam on one sidethereof, a load gear comprising "a reversing lever for transmitting thebraking force of the brake cylinder to the cylinder lever, dis-' posed transversely'of the beam substantially in the horizontal median plane thereof-and in a' space formed between the upper and lower lon-V gitudinal beam parts and walled bya pair ofxthe;

transverse partitions, a shiftable fulcrum for the reversing lever, a guide for the shiftable'fulcrum,

provided on one oftheglast mentioned trans verse partitions andextending horizontally and transversely of the beam, the beam being extended in opposite directions from the load'gear and forming an elongated space between its upperand lower longitudinal parts in the one of its extensions projectin towards and beyond the brake cylinder, a semi-elliptical spring disposed 1 a substantially longitudinally of the beam in the last mentioned space, pull'rods di'sposedsubstan: tially longitudinally of the beam. and guided therein and projecting from the ends thereof and connected with the ends of the said spring and adapted to be-connected to means for transmitting, to them pulling forces derived fromand proportionate tovehicle supporting spring 'pressures at the opposite ends of the'vehicle, means disposed in the beam and operatively associat ing the shiftable fulcrum with the semi-elliptical spring so as to determine the position of the shiftable fulcrum by the transverse deflection of the semi-elliptical springwhen loaded 'by said pulling forces, and a stationary fulcrum for the floating lever, disposed substantially in the horizontal median plane of the beam end attached thereto at the other extension thereof.

10. In a vehicle brake as claimed in claim 9, the additional feature that the space for the reversing lever is closed, and the ends of the latter encased on either side of the beam by cases dimensioned so as to admit of free motionof the reversing lever.

11. In a vehicle brake as claimed in claim 9, the additional feature that the space for the semi-elliptical spring is closed on either side of the beam by cover plates.

12. In a vehicle brake as claimed in claim 9, the additional feature that the means operatively associating the shiftable fulcrum for the reversing lever with the semi-elliptical spring comprises a lever pivoted at a point between its ends and having one end engaged with the spring at a point between the ends thereof, said lever being housed within the beam and having its other end projecting into the space for the reversing lever and connecting to the shiftable fulcrum therefor.

13. In a vehicle brake as claimed in claim 9, the additional feature that the fulcrum for the floating lever comprises a projecting end of a horizontal plate attached in the space between the upper and lower longitudinal parts of the beam to a pair of the transverse partitions thereof.

14. In a vehicle brake as claimed in claim 9, the additional feature that the means operatively associating the shiftable fulcrum for'the reversing lever with the semi-elliptical spring comprises means for adjusting the position of the shiftable fulcrum in relation to a given defiectional position of the semi-elliptical spring.

BERT HENRY BROWALL. 

